Capsule making method and machine



Aug. 8, 1944.

` E. A. RAvENscRoFT ETAL CAPSULE MAKING METHOD AND MACHINE original Filed Jan.`11, 1940 @aff "Patented ug. 8, 1944 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT ycil-Fica aassszel CAPSULE mmc METHOD AND MACHINE Edward. Ravenscroft, Glencoe, and Robert E. Jordan, Deerfield, lll., assignors to Abbott Laboratoes, North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of original application January 11, 1940, serial No.

313,338'. Divided and this application March 27, 1943, Serial No. 480,782

7 Claims. (Cl. 18-5) This application is a division of our applica-- tion Serial 313,338, iiled January `l1, 1940, for Capsule making machine, wherein claims were directed/to the special form of capsule therein struction but in addition shall be capable of cont ltinuous reliable operationover long periods of time with little or `no supervision by the operator; the rprovision of, an improved capsule making machine of this general type which 3 can be readily cleaned and ,sterilized and which can be changed over, within arelatively short period of time and with little or no adjustment.

from the manufacture of multipleecompartm'ent capsules containing a particular combination oi dissimilar medicaments to the manufacture oi multiple-compartment capsules containing a differing comlnnation of dissimilar` medicaments: and generally, the provision of a novel type oi soft gelatine capsule and-apparatus for -making the same.

One form of the multiple-compartment capsule of the present invention and the details of lustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, showing certain of the details of a capsule making machine which is operable to manv,one't'ype of apparatus which can be used for i manufacturing compartments of this type are ilufacture twocompartment, soft gelatine capsules;

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are fragmentary sectional views, showing various steps in the formation of ative to the outer wall of the capsule, the two compartments I3 can be made of substantlaily diiierei'it capacity, an imiportant feature when filling materials'oi certain types are used.

Reduced to its simplest elements, the capsuleV making machine illustrated in the drawing includes means for forming three relatively narrow, continuous sheets or strips 3i of gelatine; two fiat-sided, wedge-shaped nozzles ii ar ranged in close proximity to each other, as illus-- trated in Figure 5; means for simultaneously moving one of the gelatine sheets 33 between the two nozzles 'll and the other gelatine sheets connects; annular cutterfmeans actuable to form and herein shown 'and also to the method and 5 capsules by the use of the apparatus illustrated machine for making such capsules. in Figure l;

Our invention relates to an improved method Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of and apparatus or machine for making multipleone form of nozzle mechanism which may be Compartment, Soft gelatin capsules such as are used in conjunction with the machine illustrated used in the i pharmaceutical'and drug induslofin Figures 1 through 4; tries for dispensing liquid medicaments of var- Fisure 6 1S a perspective view. partially in SeciOUS types. tion, of one of the two-compartment, soft gel- The principal objects of our invention in reatine carpsules manufactured by the apparatus spect of the method and machine for making illustrated in the other figures in the drawing; Vmultiple-compartment capsules is the provision 15 and of a method and machine for making liquid Figure 7 is a sectional view of the capsule 1lfilled, soft gelatin capsules; to provide such a. lustrated in Figure 6. method and machine for making such 'capsines of The capsule making machine illustrated in the substantially uniform size and shape, and the drawing is operable to manufacture soft gelatine.- provision Yof a method and machine for making 20 Capsules having WO entirely Sepaljate. Sealed such capsules automatically and at high speeds, compartments Which may be lled'Wlth WO d15- Other objects' of our invention include the similar medicaments or other filling matenals. provision of a'n improved, automatically operable, The Capsules may "2e Spherical in Shape as n capsule making machine, in accordance with the lustrated at il kin Figures 6 and '1, or they may last-mentioned principal object, which shan be 25 take the forni of an ellipsoid, kdepending upon capable of manufacturing multip1e compart how much filling material 1s introduced into the ment, liquid nlled, softgelatine capsules by the two Compsrt'ments I3 during the manufaftur' ing operation. The two compartments le are use of fiat sheets or strips of gelatine, and which separated by a common Wan m, and since ,this shan not only be simple and foolproof in con' 3o wall l5 is movable,within reasonable limits, rela capsule from each aligning pair of lled sacks by simultaneously cutting both sacks from the three strips of gelatine by an operation which seals the cut edges; and means for removing the finished capsule and the unused portion of the sheets from the machine. As will be made more apparent in the following detailed description of the apparatus, this mode of operation requiresintermittent movement of some of the mechanical elements of the machine.

. Except for the details and arrangement of the nozzles, the provision of means for forming three instead of two continuous sheets or strips of gelatine, and the provision of means for conducting three instead of two strips of gelatine into proximity with the nozzles, the capsule making vma- 'chine of the present invention may be made substantially identical with the machine illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent 2,279,505, the application for which was filed on July 10, 1939, and which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. For this reason, the accompanying drawing illustratesmerely the details of the nozzles and the capsule making mechanism proper. It will be understood that the remaining elements of the machine are the same as the corresponding elements of the apparatus illustrated in lPatent 2,279,505. The same reference numerals are used for the corresponding elements of the present machine as are used in Patent 2,279,505.

Each of the two nozzles 1| is wedge shaped at its lower end and may conveniently be made from a rectangularly shaped, relatively thin, metallic plate. The two nozzles 1| are supported side by side in close proximity to each other, preferably with the adjacent faces parallel as illustrated particularly in Figure 5. Any reasonable number capsule making machine of the present invention. The particular apparatus illustrated in the drawing is designed to make three capsules during each operation, and accordingly each of the nozzles 1| is provided with three symmetrically spaced, longitudinally extending, counterbored passageways 11 through which the filling liquid is conducted to the interior of the gelatine sacks formed at the outlet end thereof. For reasons which will hereinafter appear, the passageways 11 in the two nozzles are in substantial alignment with each other.

The slot-like passageway 18 formed between the two adjacent facesl of the nozzles 1| is preferably of substantially thesame thickness as: the gelatine sheet 33 which is moved-therethrough daring the operation of the machine, and if desired the nozzle support may be made adjustable,

o so as to permit change in the width of this passageway. The upper or inlet end of each of the nozzle passageways 11 is connected toa suitable, intermittent/ feeding mechanism which may be similar to the `piston type measuring pumps 19 illustrated in. Patent 2,279,505. pumps should of course be arranged so 'as to permit convenient control of the amount of iilling material which is forced into the gelatine sacks during each of the capsule making operations.

"of capsules can be made simultaneously by the 50. gelatine sheets 33 can be expanded freely into- The measuring used for operating the correspondingly numbered elements of the machine illustrated in Patent 2,279,505. The squeeze rolls I I3 are provided with annular grooves |23 which align in the completed machine to form passageways through which the finished capsules can be removed. The engaging surfaces of the squeeze rolls ||3 are preferably knurled in order to provide a better grip on the gelatine strips. Although the squeeze rolls ||3 actually contact only the two outer strips of gelatine, no diiiiculty has been experienced in the A accomplishing of simultaneous movement of the inner strip. The pressure provided by the opposed knurled surfaces of the squeeze rolls accomplishes, in effect, a union of the three strips 33, and assures their simultaneous movement.

During the capsule forming and filling operations, the gelatine strips 33 must not be moved. This requirement makes it necessary that the squeeze rolls 3 and the feeding means for the gelatine strips shall be intermittently operated. Suitable mechanism for accomplishing this is illustrated in Patent 2,279,505.

The mechanism. utilized to hold the two outer gelatine strips 33 in contact with the inner gelatine strip 33 so as to form two aligning, expansible sacks which connect with each adjacent pair of outlet openings in the nozzles 1I, comprises two oppositely arranged sealing members |51, each of which is provided with a rectangularly shaped rear portion |59 adapted to engage a guide slot |6| formed in a suitable frame member |63. The guide slot |6| is normally closed by a removable plate |65, and the sealing members |51 are biased to the separated position by suitable springs |61.

Three uniformly spaced, cylindrical` passageways |69 are formed in each of the sealing members |51. 'I'he passageways |69 align with each other when the sealing members |51 are in the engaged position of Figures 3 and 4, with the result that the two outer gelatine sheets 33 are held in contact with the inner gelatine sheet and with the adjacent surfaces of the nozzles 1| so as to form two circular sacks, each of which connects with the outlet end of one of the adjacent nozzle passageways 11. This is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and it will be apparent that the two outer the cylindrical cavity |1| (Fig. 3) formed by the aligning passageways |69.

The opposed surfaces of the sealing members |51 are cut away, as illustrated particularly in Figures 1 and 3, along an angle substantially equal to theangle formed between the outer faces of the two nozzles 1|.'in order to obtain a more satisfactory seal between the nozzles 1| and the gelatine'sheets 33. Also, in order to prevent the nozzles 1| from projecting into the cylindrical cavity |1| within which the capsules are formed during the operation of the machine, the lower end portion oi.' each of the nozzles 1| is provided with three semi-circular, cut-away sections |13 which align with each other and with the cylindrical passageways |63 when the sealing members |51 are in the engaged positions.

For the purpose of cutting away the lled sacks I from the three gelatine strips 33 and thereby forming capsules during the operation of the machine, thin-walled, hollow, cylindrical cutters |15 are disposed for slidable movement within each of the cylindrical passageways |69 formed within the sealing member |51. Each of the three cutter -members |15 associated with each member 51 is attached at its inner end to a Ccommon operating member |11 (Fig. 1) having a rectangularly shaped rear portion |18 adapted to engage a guide slot |8| which, similarly to the guide slot` |5| for the sealing members |51, is

formed in the frame |53 .and is normally closed by the cover plate |55. The cutter members are biased to the retracted position of Figure 1 by means of springs |83, and in order to prevent the formed capsules from. being drawn into the cylindrical passageways |58 in the. sealing members |51 at the conclusion of the cutting operation, an ejector pin |85 is located centrally within each of the'passageways |53 in the cutter members |15. Each of the ejector pins |35 is permanently affixed at its rear end to the frame`- -left-hand sealing member |51, the confined portion of the central gelatine sheet 33 serving as a common wall for each pair of sacks.

V engaged position of Figure 3, the capsule filling Proper sequential operation of the sealing and cutter members |51 and. |15 is accomplished by the use of two pairs ofcams |81 and |59 which are supported upon vertical cam shafts |3| jour'- nalled -in suitable bearing supports, not shown, forming a part of the .frame |53. Both of the vertical-cam shafts ISI rotate atvuniform speed,

va suitable mechanism for accomplishing this being illustrated in Patent 2,279,505.

'I'he first step in the capsule forming operation is illustrated in Figure 1. At this point the squeeze rolls I3 have been rotated to move the three gelatine strips 33' vertically downward a distance equal to about one and one-half times the diameter of the finished capsule. During this movement the sealing and cutting members |51 and |15 were held in the separated position.

.At the conclusion of this forward movement of the gelatine strips 33 produced by the squeeze rolls |13, the two cams |83 which operate the cutter members |15 cause those members to move toward each other against the biasing actionV of the springs |83 from the position of Figure 1 to the position of Figure 2, in which latter position the opposed annular lsurfaces of the cut-` ter members |15 are separated by a distance ap-l proximately equal to the combined thickness of. the three gelatine sheets 33. The purposeof this movement of the cutter members |15 is to press the two outer sheets 33 into contact with the y 4inner sheet 33 and thereby expel any air which might tend to become entrapped therebetween .prior to the filling operation. Further rotation position, the cutter members |15 are retracted a distance somewhat greater than about onehalf the diameter vof the finished capsules as showninFigure 3.

The opposing surfaces of the sealing members |51 press the gelatine sheets 33 into contact with each other and with the adjacent surfaces of the nozzles 1I in such manner that a circular area ,of each of the outer gelatine sheets is confined( Due to .the fact that the passageways |59 in each of the sealing members |51 align when those members are yin thesealing position, thev outlines of the three sacksv formed by the rightmeans is operated and a predetermined, measured quantity of the liquid filling `material is forced into each of the six gelatine sacks whose outlines are defined by the opposedl surfaces of the sealing members, |51. As a result oi this operation,` each of the sacks is expanded to a. substantially hemispherical form, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 3.'. The two adjoining sacks formed at each of the pairs of outlet openings in the orifice mechanisms will be complementary inshapefdue tothe fact that the inner gelatine sheet 33 is common to each of the sacks in that pair.

Immediately following the formation of each of the complementary pairs of gelatine sacks, the control cams A|89 for the cutter members cause thosemembers to move from the partially separated position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4, in which latter position .the opposed annular surfaces of the cutter members |15 engage with substantial pressure. The result of this engagement of themutter members |15 is, to cutout each of the aligning, complementary pairs of expanded sacks` from the main body of the three sheets 33 and to simultaneously seal the edges of the resulting capsules, as illustrated Immediately following the engagement ofthe cutter members |15, which marks the completion of the capsule forming operation. the cams |51 and |85 and the associated springs |51 and v|53 which operatethe sealing and cutter members |51 and |15 effect the movement of those members from the position of Figure 4 to ythe separated position of Figure 1. At this point, the squeeze rolls |13 are again operated to Dro-' duce a downward movement of the three gelatine sheets 33, whereby the three capsules :lust completed are moved from the-position oi Figure 4 to the position of Figure 1, at the same time new portions of the gelatine `sheets 33 are presented for the machine to operate upon.

Under ordinary operating conditions, the capsule will not be cut entirely free from the Y for holding the capsules during their` passage through the squeeze rolls" |13, after which the l capsules may be very readily removed from theI gelatine sheets 33 by brushing orthe like. The portion of the gelatine -sheets l3 3 which remains after the capsules have been removed,y therecourse be reclaimed. To prevent the gelatine hand sealing member |51 exactlyicoincide with the outlines `of the three sacks formed by the sheets 33 from sticking to Iany part ofthe apparatus it may befound necessary to apply min-` eral oil to various of the surfe/(ces contacted by in the operation of the machine.

the gelatine sheets. Suitable apparatus for accomplishing this is, of course, well known in the art.

It is not essential in all instances that the cutter members be moved into the partially engaged position of Figure 2 as the rst step While this mode of operation is preferred, for the reason that it eiects positive elimination of air .from .between the sheets of gelatine, any air so .entrapped may be eliminated by othermeans, or, under certain circumstances, the amount enable. If the Figure 2 step is eliminated, the only .change in the operational sequence will be that the step of Figure 3 will follow immediately after the step of Figure 1.

The details of the multi-compartment capsule which is formed by the procedures described in the foregoing are illustrated in Figures 6 and '7, and as has been pointed outpreviously, the capsule is provided with two entirely separate compartments I3, each of which is sealed from the other. The capsule thus constitutes a true multiple-compartment'capsule and may be used for the dispensing of two dissimilar or mutually reactive medicaments.' The capsule satises a need which has existed in the industry for a long period of time, and yet at the same time it can be readily manufactured at high speed on automatic machinery, as described in the foregoing.

It will be apparent that the multiple-compartment capsules of the present invention can be lled not only with liquid but with pasty or semi-liquid substances. Accordingly, when the term liquid is used herein it is intended to include semi-liquid; pasty or, plastic substances. Also, it is our desire that the accompanying vclaims shall be given the broadest possible construction consistent with the language appearving therein and the Prior art.

We claim: j

- 1. 'I'he method of continuously manufacturing liquid filling material into said aligned sacks and thereby expanding said sacks, and then simultaneously severing both of said filled sacks from said gelatine sheets by an operation which simultaneously seals the edges of both sacks and unites those edges togetherso as to form a single capsule.

2. The method of continously manufacturing two-compartment, liquid filled, soft gelatine capsules which consists in bringing three sheets of gelatine into proximity with each other, adjacent the outlet openings of two closely spaced nozzles, coniining predetermined, aligning areas of the two outermost sheets so as tov form two aligned, expansible sacks, both of which have one common wall and each of which is open only to the outlet of one of said nozzles, forcing filling material into said aligned sacks whereby each sack is expanded into a substantially hemispherical form, and then simultaneously severing both of said filled sacks from said sheets by an operation which simultaneously seals the edges of both sacks and unites those edges together so as to form a single capsule.

3. In a machine of the class described, a pair of generally wedge-shaped nozzles arranged side by side, means for moving a sheet of gelatine between said nozzles and a sheet of gelatine along the outer face of each of said nozzles, whereby said nozzle members are in effect sandwiched between said sheets, sealing means operable to confine predetermined areas of said sheets so as to form two separate, complementary, expansible sacks, which are in substantial alignment with each other and each of which is open only to the outlet of one of said nozzles, said nozzles being opera-tive to deliver a quantity of llling material into the respective sacks connected therewith, and cutter means operable to simultaneouslyA sever both of said aligned sacks from said sheets and to simultaneously unite the edges of said sacks so as vto form a two-compartment capsule.

located passageway, means for moving said seal-- ing members toward each other with said passageways in substantial alignment so as to hold together a predetermined area of said sheets and thereby form two separate, expansible sacks which are in substantial alignment with each other and each of which is open only to theoutlet of one of A said nozzles, said nozzles being operative to deliver a quantity of lling material into the respective sacks connected therewith,` and tubular cutter members movable through said aligned passageways into engagement with each other to simultaneously sever both of said aligned sacks from said sheets and to simultaneously unite the edges of said sacks to form a two-compartment capsule.

5. AIn a machine of the class described, a pair of generally wedge-shaped nozzles arranged side by side, means for intermittently and simultaneously moving a sheet of gelatine between said nozzles and a sheet of gelatine along the outer 'face of each of said nozzles, whereby said nozzles are in effect sandwiched between said sheets, a pair of oppositelyarranged, slidably supported, sealing members axially movable toward each other from a separated position to a sealing position, said sealing members being provided with aligning, cylindrical passageways which define a cylindrical cavity when said members are in the sealing position, means actuable following each intermittent forward movement of said sheets to move said sealing members from the separated to the sealing position, in which latter position said sealing members conne a circular area of said sheets and thereby form two separate, expansible sacks which are in substantial alignment with each other and each of which is open only to the outlet of one of said nozzles, said nozzles being operative to deliver a quantity of filling material into the respective sacks connected therewith, tubular cutter members movable through said aligned passageways into engagement with each other to simultaneously sever both of said aligning sacks from said sheets and to simultaneously unite the edges of said sacks to form a two-compartment capsule, and means for moving said sealing members and said cutter members the separated position following each cutting operation.

6. In a machine of the class described, a pair of generally wedge-shaped nozzles arranged side by side. means for intermittently and simultaneusly moving a sheet of gelatine between said nozzles and a sheet of gelatine along the outer face of each of said nozzles, whereby said nozzles are, in effect, sandwiched between said sheets, a pair of oppositely arranged sealing members axially movable toward each other from a separated position to 4a sealing position, said vsealing members being provided with aligning, cylindrical passageways which define a cylindrical cavity when said members are in the sealing position, tubular cutter members movable through said aligningpassageways from a separated position to an engaging position, means actuable following each intermittent forward movementy or said sheets to move said cutter members from the separated position into an intermediate position.

in which said cutter members press said sheets ytogether with sufficient force to expel any air position to the sealing position in which said sealing members confine a circular area of said sheets and thereby form two separate, expansible -sacks winch are in substantial alignment with each other and each of which is open only to the outlet of one of said nozzles, retracting means operable following each movement of said sealing members to the sealing position to retract said cutting members a short distance, said nozzles being operative to deliver a quantity of lling tioned means and said retracting means being also operative to effect separation of said cutting members and return thereofto their initial, separated position.

7. In a machine oi the class described, a pair of generally wedge-shapedenozzles arranged side by side, each of said nozzle membersbeing provided with a plurality of similarly spaced outlet openings, means for moving a sheet of gelatine between said nozzles and a sheet of gelatine along the outer face of each of said nozzles, whereby said nozzles are in'eiect sandwiched between said sheets, sealing means operable to confine predetermined areas of said sheets so as to form a separate, expansible sack connecting'with each of said nozzle outlets, the sacks formed at each adjacent pair of outlet openings being in substantial alignment with each other and each of said sacks being open only to one nozzle outlet, said nozzles being operative to deliver a quantity of lling material into the respective sacks connected with the outlet openings oi said nozzles, and cutter means `operable to simultaneously sever each aligned pair of lled sacks from said sheets and to simultaneously unite the edges of each of said pairs of aligned sacks so as to form simultaneously a plurality of two-compartment capsules. p

EDWARD A. RAVENSCROF'I ROBERT E. JORDAN. 

